Grain storage apparatus



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LA VERNE L. LlNQUlST GRAIN STORAGE APPARATUS H I .w 4 e m. w. 3 G M 4. H J7 Y //III a a 2 H i I 8 f1 q V 2 u a 8 U "4 1 m I //////////////6 V/ \A////////// Nov. 17, 1959 Filed Jan. 30, 1959 United States Patent The present invention relates to grain elevators generally and specifically to an apparatus for storing grain in a grain elevator.

An object of the present invention is to provide a grain storage apparatus which lends itself to permanent installation in a grain elevator.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a grain storage apparatus which automatically efiects the removal of dust and dirt from the grain as it is being stored.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a grain storage apparatus which has means for delivery of the grain into separate storage bins with a safety device to prevent damage to the apparatus in case a bin or the delivery means becomes jammed or filled with grain.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a grain elevator with the apparatus of the present invention installed therein;

Figure 2, is a view of the assembly shown in Figure 1, as viewed from the side;

' Figure 3 is a view on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view partially in section showing the air inlet means associated with the apparatus of the present invention. 7

Referring in greater detail to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, in Figures 1 and 2, the reference numeral 10 designates a grain elevator constituting a storage enclosure having an upstanding wall 12, a top 14 extending over the upper end of the wall 12 and a cup element 16 fixedly positioned within the enclosure adjacent to and spaced below the'top 14. The cup element16 with 'the'top 14 and the adjacent part of the wall 12 forms a compartment.

The cup element 16 is formed with a plurality of spouts 18 arranged in spaced relation thereabout and depending therefrom. Each of the spouts 18 has one end connected in communication with the interior of the compartment formed by the cup element 16, the top 14, and the adjacent part of the wall 12.

A trough 20 is positioned below each of the spouts 18 and has one end connected in communication with the other end of the spout 18. The other end of each trough 20 extends to a location within the elevator 10 remote from the spout 18 and is connected in communication with a bin within the elevator 10 adapted to receive and store a quantity of grain. I

The present invention consists in an improvement to the aforesaid conventional structure and comprises an upstanding tunnel member 22 fabricated of oneor more sections of pipe connected together by couplings 24 to form an air-tight passage. The tunnel member 22 is positioned within the enclosure or elevator 10 and has a portion adjacent the upper end extending through the cup element 16 centrally of the latter. The lower end of the tunnel member 22 is adjacent to and spaced above the bottom 26 of the elevator 19. The lower end of the tunnel member 22 is designated in Figures 1 and 2 by the numeral 28 and is shown connected to the upper end of a housing 30 constituting a grain intake means.

The upper end portion of the tunnel member 22, designated by the numeral 32, is within the compartment formed by the elevator top 14, the cup element 16, and the wall 12 and ,carries on its upper end a hollow head 34 having a discharge chute 36 depending therefrom.

As shown in Figure 1, the free end of the chute 36 is in'registry with one of the spouts 18. The head 34 is in theform of a hood and is mounted on a collar 38 carried on the upper end portion 32 of the tunnel member 22 for rotation about the upper end portion as a vertical axis.

Suction generating means is positioned within the hood formed by the head 34 and is carried by the head 34. This means consists in an electric motor 41 mounted upon a platform 42 which has one end formed with a sleeve element 44 mounted upon the upper end portion 32 of the tunnel member 22 above the collar 38 and rotatable on the upper end portion 32 of the head 34.

The motor 40 has a drive shaft 46 projecting therefrom. A driven shaft 48 is journaled in the head 34, as shown in Figure 4. Pulleys 50 and 52 on the drive shaft 46 and driven shaft 48, respectively, and a belt 54 extending between and carried by the pulleys 56 and 52 constitute a drive means drivingly connecting the drive shaft 46 to the driven shaft 48.

A suction fan 56 is positioned Within the head 34 and is mounted for rotation on the driven shaft 48.

Referring to Figure 3, on the underside of the head 34 adjacent the upper end of the chute 36 in a switch housing 58 having therein a normally closed switch in electrical circuit with the motor 40 and a source of electric power. A shelf 60 projects inwardly of the throat portion 62 of the head 34 and overlies the free end portion of a plate 64 having its lower end hingedly connected to the throat 62. The switch mechanism includes a depressible plunger 66 projecting into the throat 62 beneath the free end portion of the plate 64 and actuated thereby in response to weight of grain in the throat 62 if the chute 36 becomes filled .with grain due to stoppage of the spout 18 or other reason. Upon actuation of the plunger 66, the normally closed switch within the housing 58 is moved to open position breaking the circuit through the motor 40 and preventing damage to the fan 56 when the throat 62 becomes jammed with grain.

The lower end portion of the tunnel member22 has one end of a branch conduit 68- connected thereto. The other end of the conduit 68 is exteriorly of the elevator 11} and is adapted for attachment to a flexible conduit 70 (Figure 1) which may have its free end inserted into .a storage pile of grain or a grain transport conveyance such as a truck, trailer, or the like. Another conduit 72 is connected to the conduit 68 intermediate the ends thereof and is normally kept closed by a cap member 74. A flexible conduit member may be attached to the conduit '22 in order that loose grain may be removed from the floor 76 of the elevator 10.v Dust and dirt may also be removed through the tunnel mem ber 22 by actuation of the fan 56 with no grain intro duced into the housing 36 and with the door 78 of the housing 30 in closed position, as shown in Figure 1.

From the upper end of the head 34 extends a conduit 80 leading to adust house for the collection of dirt and dust removed from the grain as it is being pulled by vacuum from the lower end of the elevator through the head 34 and discharged through the chute 36 into one or another of the spouts 18 and thence to a place of storage within the elevator 19.

In operation, grain to be stored is brought to the elevator in and either deposited within the elevator It on the bottom 26 or deposited in receptacles or piled on a ground surface adjacent the elevator 16}. If the grain is within the elevator 18, it is only necessary to raise the door 78 by its handle 81 which extends into the space above the floor 76 and to energize the motor 41 to drive the fan 56. Grain will be pulled into the housing 30 by gravity and thence swept upwardly with a current of air which is introduced into the housing 3% through an air inlet means constituting a conduit 82 and header pipe 84 which is connected intermediate its ends to one end of the conduit $2, extends into the wall of the housing 30 and is connected in communication with the interior thereof.

A section of the header pipe 84 is shown in Figure 6 and is seen to have one or more screen sections 86 which exclude dirt and dust-laden air' from the housing 31) so that only clean air is swept upwardly by the action of the fan 56 with the grain received into the housing 31} from the enclosure 26 or from the conduit 70.

Preferably, the head 34 is provided with a replaceable liner 855 formed in two sections for ready installation within the head 34 when the latter is dismantled for repair. 7

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the grain storage apparatus of the present invention lends itself to permanent installation within the elevator it and that when so installed may be employed to han dle grain within the elevator 18 efficiently and economically with little or no damage to the grain carried thereby and with dust and dirt removed from the grain as it is transported upwardly and delivered to the storage bins of the elevator 10.

What is claimed is:

1. In a grain storage apparatus including an upstanding storage enclosure supported on a ground surface and having an upstanding wall and a top closing the upper end of said wall, a cup element fixedly positioned within said enclosure adjacent to and spaced below, said top and forming with said top and the adjacent wall a compartment, a plurality of spouts arranged in spaced relation about said cup element and depending therefrom and each having one end connected in communication with the interior of said compartment, and a trough positioned below each of said spouts and having one end connected in communication with the other end of a spout and having the other end at a location within the enclosure and remote'from said spout, the improvement consisting of an upstanding tunnel member positioned within said enclosure and having the portion adjacent the upper end extending through said cup element and contained within said compartment and having the lower end adjacent to and spaced above the bottom of said enclosure, a hollow head having a discharge chute depending therefrom positioned within said compartment and having the free end of said chute in registry with said one end of a spout and connected to the upper end portion of said tunnel member for rotation about said end portion as an axis, suction generating means in said head and carried thereby, and a grain intake means operatively connected to the lower end of said tunnel means and adapted to be placed in contact with a source of grain to be stored located on said ground surface adjacent said enclosure.

2. In a grain storage apparatus including an upstanding storage enclosure supported on a ground surface and having an upstanding wall and a top closing'the upper end of said wall,a cup element fixedly positioned within said enclosure adjacent to and spaced below said i A top and forming with said top and the adjacent walla compartment, a plurality of spouts arranged in spaced relation about said cup element and depending therefrom and each having one end connected in communication with the interior of said compartment, and a trough positioned below each of said spouts and having one end connected in communication with the other end of a spout and having the other end at a location within the enclosure and remote from said spout, the improvement consisting of an upstanding tunnel member positioned within said" enclosure and having the portion adjacent the upper end extending through said cup element and contained within said compartment and having'the lower end adjacent to and spaced above the bottom of said enclosure, a hollow head embodying a hood having a discharge chute depending therefrom positioned within said compartment and having the free end of said chute in registry with said one end of a spout and connected to the upper .end portion of said tunnel member for rotation about said end portion as an axis, suction generating means embodying a rotatable ifan disposed in said hood and carried thereby, and a grain intake means operatively connected to the lower end of said tunnel means and adapted to be placed in contact with a source of a grain to be stored located onsaid ground surface adjacent said enclosure.

v 3. In a grain storage apparatus including an upstanding storage enclosure supported on a ground surface and having an upstanding wall and a top closing the upper end of said wall, a cup element fixedly positioned within said'enclosure adjacent to and spaced below said top and forming with said top and the adjacent wall a compartment, a, pluraiity of spouts arranged in spaced relation about said cup element and depending therefrom and each having one end connected in communication with the interior of said compartment, and a trough positioned below each of said spouts and having one end connected in communication with the other end of Va spout and having the other end at a location within the enclosure and remote from said spout, the improvement consisting of an upstanding tunnel member positioned within said enclosure and having the portion adjacent the upper end extending through said cup element and contained within said compartment and having the lower end adjacent to and spaced above the bottom of said enclosure, a hollow head embodying a hood having a discharge chute depending therefrom positioned within said compartment and having the free end of said chute in registry with said one end of a spout and connected tothe upper end portion of said tunnel member for rotation about said end'portion as an axis, suction generating means comprising a driven shaft disposed in said hood, a fan carried by said shaft, a drive shaft, and means drivingly connecting said drive shaft to said driven shaft, and a grain intake means operatively connected to the lower end of said tunnel means and adapted to be placed in contact with a source of grain to be stored located on said ground surface adjacent said enclosure 4. In a grain storage apparatus including an upstanding storage enclosure supported on ,a ground surface and haying an upstanding wall and a top closing the upper end of said wall, a cup element fixedly positioned within said enclosure adjacent to and spaced below said top and forming'with said top and the adjacent wall a compartment, a plurality of spouts arranged in spaced relation about said .cup element and depending therefrom and each having one end connected in communication with the interior of said compartment, and-a trough positioned below each of said spouts and having one end connected in communication with the other end of a spout and having the other end at a location within the enclosure and remote from said spout, the improvement consisting of an upstanding tunnel member positioned Within said enclosure and having the portion adjacent the upper end extending through said cup element and contained within said compartment and having the lower end adjacent to and spaced above the bottom of said enclosure, a hollow head embodying a hood having a discharge chute depending therefrom positioned within said compartment and having the free end of said chute in registry with said one end of a spout and connected to the upper end portion of said tunnel member for rotation about said end portion as an axis, suction generating means comprising an electric motor positioned in said compartment exteriorly of said head and in circuit with a source of electric current, a drive shaft projecting from said motor, a fan carried by said drive shaft, a driven shaft disposed in said hood, a fan carried by said driven shaft, and means drivingly connecting said drive shaft to said driven shaft, and a grain intake means operatively connected to the lower end of said tunnel means and adapted to be placed in contact with a source of grain to be stored located on said ground surface adjacent said enclosure.

5. In a grain storage apparatus including an upstanding storage enclosure supported on a ground surface an having an upstanding wall and a top closing the upper end of said wall, a cup element fixedly positioned Within said enclosure adjacent to and spaced below said top and forming with said top and the adjacent Wall a compartment, a plurality of spouts arranged in spaced relation about said cup element and depending therefrom and having the other end at a location within the enclosure and remote from said spout, the improvement consisting of an upstanding tunnel member positioned within said enclosure and having the portion adjacent the upper end extending through said cup element and contained within said compartment and having the lower end adjacent to and spaced above the bottom of said enclosure, a hollow head embodying a hood having a discharge chute depending therefrom positioned within said compartment and having the free end of said chute in registry with said one end of a spout and connected to the upper end portion of said tunnel member for rotation about said end portion as an axis, suction generating means comprising an electric motor positioned in said compartment exteriorly of said head and in circuit with a source of electric current, a drive shaft projecting from said motor, a fan carried by said drive shaft, a driven shaft disposed in said hood, a fan carried by said driven shaft, and means drivingly connecting said drive shaft to said driven shaft, a grain intake means operatively connected to the lower end of said tunnel means and adapted to be placed in contact with a source of grain to be stored located on said ground surface adjacent said enclosure, and a normally closed electrical switch in said discharge chute connected in circuit with said motor and said current source and adapted to be moved to open position by the weight of grain when said discharge chute is filled with grain.

No references cited. 

